Carton



Dec. 1, 1942.

D. E. RUECKERT CARTON Filed Aug. 8, 1939 fiemZZPzzec/fert INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1942 CARTON Dean E. Rueckert, Mokena, 11]., assignor to Industrial Patents. Corporation, Chicago, 111., a cornotation of Delaware Application August 8, 1939, Serial No. 289,021

5 Claims. (Cl. 229-36) This invention relates to improvement in boxes or cartons formed from a single blank of cardboard or other suitable material in which flaps integral with the bottom and sidewalls thereof are adapted to interfold and interlock to form the end walls of said cartons.

One of the objects of this invention is to construct a carton which is stronger than the usual carton made of the same grade of material.

Another object of this invention is to construct a carton in which it is extremely diflicult to unlock the end flap.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow.

Designations of position such as the terms "front and "rear as used in this specification will be understood to denote portions of the respective parts as they appear in the formed carton.

Reference is had to the drawing in which similar characters are used to designate like elements.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a plan view of the blank from which the carton of the present invention is formed.

Figure 2 is an end view of the partially formed carton made from the blank shown in Figure 1, with one tongue partially inserted in the end.

Figure 3 is another end view of the partially formed carton made from the blank shown in Figure 1 with one tongue fully inserted in the end.

Figure 4 is an end view of the carton, with both tongues inserted in the end.

The carton illustrated in Figure 2 is formed from a single blank of cardboard or other suitable material cut and scored-as shown in Figure 1 and comprises a bottom I, ends 2 and 3, front wall 4, rear wall 5 and top 6, with flap 1. The completed ends are formed from a plurality of interlocking flaps integral with the said side walls comprising flaps 8 and 9 extending from the front wall 4, and flaps l and II extending from the rear wall 5. The blank shown in Figure l is scored along the sides of the bottom as by score lines l2 and I3 and along the ends of the bottom I by score lines I4 and IS. The carton blank is also scored as by score line It between rear wall and top 6 and by score line I! between the top 5 and front flap I.

Flaps 8 and 9 are out in such a way as to form tongues on the outer edge thereof. Flap 8 is shaped to form a tongue by diagonal cut I8,

rounded corner 20 on the edge adjacent to end 2, and by cut 22 on the outer corner. Similarly, flap 9 is shaped to form a tongue by diagonal cut l9, rounded corner 2| on the edge adjacent to end 3, and by cut 23 on the outer comer. Flap I0 is likewise shaped to form a tongue at the outer edge thereof by diagonal cut 24, rounded corner 26 on the edge adjacent to the end 2, and by notch 28 on the outer corners. Similarly flap II is shaped to form a tongue by diagonal cut 28, rounded corner 21 on the edge adjacent to end S, and by notch 29 on the outer comer. Flaps Iii and it also contain diagonal slits 3i! and 3| respectively, adapted to interlock with the tongues on flaps 8 and 9 respectively. End 2 has intersecting slits 32 and 33 adapted to receive the tongues of flaps 8 and iii and similarly end 3 has intersecting slits 34 and 35 adapted to receive the tongues of flaps 9 and II. Ends 2 and 3 may have flaps 36 and 37 respectively, integral therewith and scored along lines 38 and 39.

In the formation of the box, rear wall 5 is folded perpendicular to the bottom and ends 2 and 3 are folded vinto a verticalposition. The tongue of flap i0 is inserted in slit 33 of end 2 and tongue of flap II is inserted in the slit 35 of end 3. Front wall 4 is then folded into a vertical position and the tongue of flap 8 is inserted through slit 32 of the end 2 and coincident slit 3!! of tongue of flap Ill; and the tongue of flap 9 is inserted in slit 34 of the end 3 and coincident slit 31 of tongue of flap ll. Flaps 36 and 31 are then folded over the interlocked ends to reinforce the locking already secured. The carton may then be packed with product after which top 6 is folded over top of the carton and flap I inserted within the front wall 4.

It will be seen'that the carton formed in accordance with the invention herein disclosed is so interlocked that it is practically impossible to unlock the ends without tearing or cutting the various flaps. This results in a stronger carton as most cartons fail at this point. It also results in a carton in which it is extremely unlikely for the ends to become accidentally unlocked.

The term cardboard as herein used will be understood to include any I flexible material adapted for the manufacture of containers such as strawboard, paperboard, pulpboard and the like.

I claim:

1. A carton blank comprising a bottom and two side walls integral therewith, each of said side walls having extending therefrom a tongue of suflicient length to intersect with the other when the carton is assembled, one of said intertinned and arranged to receive the other of said tongues, and an end nap between said tongues, said end flap being integral with the said bottom provided with intersecting slits, each of said "intersecting slits being positioned and being such length that a diflerent one of the intersectable tongues extending from the side walls extends through each of the slits when the carton is assembled, the first named slit coinciding with one 01 said intersecting slits.

2. In a carton formed from a single piece of material scored to form a plurality of walls, other walls formed by the interlocking of flaps ex-v tending from not less than three adjacent walls, the flap extending from the intermediate of said walls being provided with a pair of intersecting diagonal slits and each of the other two walls being provided with a. tongue foldable against the intermediate wall flap when such intermediate wall flap is raised to a position perpendicular to. the intermediate wall, one of the tongues being positioned and arranged to be inserted within one of said intersecting slits and being provided with a slit positioned and arranged to coincide with the other of said intersecting slits when said tongue is so inserted,v the other of said tongues being positioned and arranged to interlock within the other of said intersecting slits and within said slit within said first tongue.

3. A carton blank including three adjacent walls, the intermediate wall being provided with a flap containing a pair of intersecting diagonal slits, each of the other two walls being provided with a tongue foluable against the intermediate wall flap, one of the tongues being positioned and arranged to intertlt within one of the said intersecting slits and being provided with a, lit positioned and arranged to coincide with the other of said intersecting slits when so interfitsectable tongues being provided with a slit posi-.

ted, the other of said tongues being positioned and arranged to interflt within said slit within said ton e and within said other of said intersecting slits.

4. A carton blank made from a single piece of material scored to icrzn a plurality of walls 1 eluding a bottom, side walls extending laterally from said bottom, and end walls extending longitudinally from said bottom, said end walls being provided with intersecting diagonal slits and each of the side walls being provided with a tongue folclable against the end wall when the end wall is folded to a vertical position in relation to said bottom, one of the tongues being positioned and arranged to interflt within one of the said intersecting slits of said end wall and provided with a slit positioned and arranged to coincide with the other or said intersecting slits when so interfitted, and the other of said tongues bein positioned and arranged to interflt within said other slit in said end wall and within the said slit in said first tongue.

5. A carton blank having walls including a bottom and two sides, each of said walls having extending therefrom flaps adapted to be interlocked to hold the blank in assembled position, two of said flaps forming tongue members of suflicient length to intersect the other when the carton is assembled, one of said intersecting tongues being provided with a. slit positioned and arranged to receive the other or said tongues, and said third flap having intersecting slit formed therein, each of said. intersecting slits being positioned and being of such length that a differcut one 01' the intersecting tongues will extend through each of the slits when the carton is asof said intersecting slits.

DEAN E. RUECKERT. 

